1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to modular hats. More particularly, the invention relates to HATCESSORIES.TM., that is, modular hats including a wide-range of components for selective attachment to a base headband.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hats have always been a very popular addition to the clothing worn by individuals. Hats have principly been worn for functional reasons, for example, to keep an individual's head warm or to protect an individual's face from the sun. However, hats have also been used as a stylish accessory to the clothing worn by an individual. For this reason, hats are available with wide brims and neck curtains providing protection from the sun, with insulated crowns and ear muffs providing protection from the cold, and in a wide variety of colors and styles fulfilling the aesthetic demands of the public. Since the majority of these hats are designed for a specific purpose and are not readily adaptable, people must purchase a wide variety of hats to meet their functional and stylistic needs.
With this in mind, adaptable hats, permitting an individual to add and remove components from a base hat, have been known for some time. These hats may, for example, permit an individual to add different visors or neck curtains to the hat. These hats may also permit the selective addition and removal of different hat crowns, emblems, or other components.
The provision of hats that may be readily modified provides individuals with the ability to modify their hats based upon outdoor conditions or simply a change of mood. As a result, an individual need not purchase an excessive number of hats to meet the wide variety of needs he or she may have.
However, prior convertible hats are limited in the versatility provided to wearers. For example, a hat may provide the ability to apply a variety of visors thereto, but not provide the ability to apply a variety of hat crowns thereto. Similarly, prior convertible hats might permit different hat crowns to be applied thereto, but not permit the panels of a specific hat crown to be interchanged. In addition, the manner in which the components are secured to the base hat is often cumbersome and insecure in prior convertible hats. This limits the usefulness of the hats, since individuals must consistently be concerned whether the attached components will in fact fall from the base hat.
In view of the shortcomings of prior convertible hats, a modular hat providing complete versatility with a secure attachment mechanism is needed. The present modular hat provides for an unlimited range of versatility in a convenient, reliable, easy to use, and inexpensive modular design.